Minister for Finance Brian Cowen last night called for increased economic North-South co-operation led by the Irish and British governments.
Mr Cowen told the Ógra Fianna Fáil national conference in Ennis that as people patiently awaited political agreement to re-establish the Northern Assembly and Executive, it remained the duty of both governments to give concrete expression to the mutual benefits to be derived from North-South co-operation. That meant making decisions that would bring economic and social progress.
"Both governments should take the strategic decisions necessary to enable major infrastructure projects to go ahead without any further delay.
"I have no doubt that, for example, the announcement of a decision to upgrade the Dublin-Derry road or a Belfast-Derry dual carriageway would do more to convince people of the seriousness of our intent to promote economic co-operation North and South than any amount of talking about talks could ever conjure up." Building infrastructure as a means to improving economic and social conditions would greatly serve the interests of all.
"Such an announcement to begin to address the basic strategic requirements . . . should be a forerunner to other examples of inter-governmental co-operation which would have the mutual benefit of enhancing competitiveness North and South and becoming key drivers for job creation and greater investment."
Mr Cowen said that if the real day-to-day interests of ordinary people were to be properly dealt with, then the political talks at party level in the North needed to be a focus for renewal, not a forum for recrimination.
"Our politics have matured and indeed our insights have changed. We want to extend the hand of friendship across the Border, not for the purpose of exchanging mere pleasantries but because we believe that if everyone looks at the possibilities rationally, then only good will come out of it.
"While others grapple with the reality of co-existence with the other side in the Executive, let the two governments show the way by making decisions that add to the political momentum."